So should you leave a light on (if say you are leaving it on for ten minutes) or turn it off. Which uses more electricity?
It is the age old question of 'to leave or not to leave, that is the question. Whether it is nobler in the socket to suffer the stings and arrows of electricity companies making an outrageous fortune, or take up arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing them, turn off the light'.
2007-05-24 03:49:18 · 24 answers · asked by roly 3 in Environment ➔ Other - Environment
very humorous. =)
there was an episode of mythbusters recently that definitively put this question to rest. it is always better, even with the most advanced technology (ie, compact flourescents, LEDs, etc) to turn the lights off rather than leave them on.
2007-05-24 03:57:37 · answer #1 · answered by Saul 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I've heard both sides of the story. I've heard that leaving them on, if you're only going to be gone for a moment or two (e.g., go to the bathroom, throw a load of clothes in the washer) and then come back will not do too much damage for energy consumption. I've also heard that no matter what, you should always turn off a light when you leave a room, even if you're going to be gone a few seconds.
My rule of thumb has been this: if I'm heading down the hallway into another room to get something, and then coming right back, I leave the light on. I have a CFL in my room, so I usually have to wait a second or so for the light to actually pop on, so I just leave it one. However, if I'm going downstairs, or running outside to my car to get something, I turn it off. And ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, if I'm going to be gone for an extended period of time, I turn it off.
2007-05-24 04:19:58 · answer #2 · answered by kaikamahine_mai_hawaii 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The question is really much more prosaic. When you turn off a bulb, it requires a great deal of energy to illuminate itself again. It requires much less energy to stay lit. This is especially true with high voltage (low wattage) neon bulbs. I do not know how the new plasma or LED bulbs are affected, but incansescent and NEon definately waste musch less energy if they are left on. Obviously, if you are going to leave a room for hours, this is not the case, but under the circumstances you list, it is more cost effective, and ultimately less damaging to the light, to leave it lit. Sorry I can't quote any Shakespeare in return, but hopefully I have satisfied your curiousity.
2007-05-24 04:01:15 · answer #3 · answered by MUDD 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Turn them off.
It is a myth that they use more electricity at the moment they are turned on than they do in (fill in number here) minutes of use. If they are fluorescent lights, turning them on an off too much will make the bulb burn out sooner, but no more electricity is used. For incandescent lights, there is no damage from constant on/off cycles.
2007-05-24 03:59:54 · answer #4 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A troll I presume.
The answer is obvious!
TURN IT OFF!
Incandescent and fluorescent lights do, for a few thousands of a second take a bit more power, when they are turned on. But it's for a fraction of a second and think about it - if they really did draw so much more power when turned on than they do over many minutes, then your fuses or circuit breakers would blowing every time a light was turned on!
2007-05-25 07:23:27 · answer #5 · answered by Here there and everywhere 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It does not easily remember. in case you elect to save electrical energy in basic terms turn it off once you flow away. it is in basic terms a change. some people have reported which you spend extra electrical energy with the help of turning it back on if it extremely is in basic terms 4 jiffy, yet that's no longer genuine. a easy bulb in basic terms approximately activates straight away activates. It does take a 2d to warmth up, even if it is unlike there's a capacitor to charge on it. like it television does, yet in spite of a television it extremely is not significant by way of fact the capacitor could nonetheless have some charge from having it on before. The time it takes a easy bulb to warmth up no longer often any electrical energy has long previous via. Now, on a compact fluorescent easy bulb you may positioned on down the digital ballast. With an LED easy bulb do no longer difficulty approximately any of it. they're very potential effectual and that they could on no account burn out on your lifetime or a minimum of as long as you own your condominium or domicile.
2016-10-05 23:16:52 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Loved the literary reference. Off damned light. But, I leave a small wattage bulb on at night to keep from breaking an old hip whence wandering around.
2007-05-24 05:45:46 · answer #7 · answered by lpaganus 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Turn them off. And leave them off. Only put on sufficient light for the purpose. Why make huge profits for generating companies who are foreign owned anyway.
2007-05-24 08:36:37 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Turn them off, always. Half of all electricity used in the US is from coal-fired plants....if it really cost what it's worth in damage to our planet, no one would ever leave a light on.
2007-05-24 03:59:57 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is better and saves electricity to turn them off every time you leave the room.
2007-05-24 03:56:41 · answer #10 · answered by Kris H 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋